I love potatoes. My family loves potatoes. My patients love potatoes. But none of us have needed to enroll in a twelve-step program to free ourselves from a terrible potato addiction. So why am I professing my love for spuds? Well, the lowly potato is once again being demonized for its supposed contribution to the obesity epidemic that is facing our nation’s children. So as it stands right now, the USDA has proposed to drastically limit the serving size of potatoes and other starchy vegetables which also includes corn, lima beans and peas in the national school lunch program. Yes, I’ve got my undies in a bundle over this one, folks.

Show me the money. I can honestly say, after being an RD for nearly two decades and after seeing hundreds if not thousands of patients (including many children), I have yet met anyone who has become obese from eating “too many” potatoes, alone. We sure like to hang our hat on one single food as the cause of our obesity problem in this country but the truth is, obesity is a complex issue.

Like this:

Happy Registered Dietitian day! I wanted to thank all of my colleagues who tirelessly get out the good news, everyday, about the benefits of eating healthy foods. And I thought I would celebrate this special day with the one food that dietitians have to defend the most – potatoes!

Please join honorary dietitian, Barbie, as she sets Ken straight on the health benefits of potatoes…with a little help from “Tot”. Enjoy!